Dimmer device for automobile-headlights.



f HLA/108mm. DIMNIEH DEVICE FOR AUOIVIOBILE HEADLIGHTS.

` APPLICATION man FEB.25.1916.

. Batented Mar. 6,1917. f

.residing in the city of RIEGANALD J'. MORTON, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

DIMMEB, DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE-HEADLIGHTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 32M?.

Application filed February 25, 1916. Serial No. 80,408.

To ali whom t may concern.'

' Be it known that I, REGINALD J. MoR'roN, a citizen of the United States of America, Springfield, county of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain mobileldeadlights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in dimmer devices for headlights, particularly for those used on an automobile for preventing the glare of an approaching machine which would cause the driver to be blinded so that he could not properly see the roadway ahead of him. On account of the daz-- '/.ling ell'ect or undimmed headlights on automobiles serious accidents have often resulted.

The prcsent invention, broadly considered,

the same material, the upper portion of which is rendered opaque, whereby the direct rays from the lamp' are shielded or pre 'vented from blinding the driver of the approaching machine.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical vsectional view through the reflector', showing thc insertible piece in place, and the shield located in front of the lamp and attached to the insertible piece;

Fig. Q is a detail plan View of the shield clearly illustrating the integral wings for attaching the same to the insertible piece and the curved formation of .this -shield hereby the rays of light are prevented from escaping past the edge of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the insertible piece andv showing the shield attached thereto; and

this piece. I

Referring to the drawings 1n detail: 1

newv and useful Im' proveniente in Dimmer Devices for Autol`he device Fig. 4 is a front elevational .View ofthe lamp illustrating the insertible vpiece in place, together with the'shield attached to- Thesewmgs shaped-openings 12for holding the shieldini reflector l and on the lower portion thereof 'i clearly shown in Fig. 1. rlhis sector' shaped pieceis formed with an opening 4.- and a slit 5, the slit 5 permitting the operi-l ing 4 to receive the neck ofthe lamp 2, as shown. The extent of the are of the sector shaped portion is such that extends nearly one half of the distance from the bottom toward the top of the reflector, as shown in Fig. l. lt will be noticed that the position of the member 3 when in place does not follow the same curvature oi" the reflector but -is spaced therefrom shown in Fig. 1 so that the rays of light indicated by the broken lines 7 will be directed outward from the reiiector at such an angle Vthat they will, in turn, take substantially the path indicated at 5:?. That is to say, they are hent substantially upward as shown ahead of the machine and not in a parallel direction as in an ordinary reflector or headlight. The rays. of light emitted from the filament lamp that engage the upper innersurface of the reflector will of course follow the .same path as before the insertion of the member by this member so as 'to The rays of light emitted from thelilament of the lamp that are directed downward .against the member 3 will be thrownor-- ward from the curved surface of the mem er 3 but not in the same direction as iff the'piece 3 wasnot inserted. l't is to be understood that the reflected rays from the insortible its upper edge 6 of the 8. They will ot course he modiied in color subdue the glare.

piece do not necessarily follow ,the lines shown. They are merely7 illustrative;

ln order to'ciieetnallyI cut oil' the direct. rays of light from the lamp EZ ma shield 9',- preferably curved, as shown,isemployed. This shield is preferably made of the same material as the insertible member 5i, the rip-- per portion of' which 1s rendered opaque, as

indicated at 10, scratching surface with sand paper or emery cloth. .ihe shield -9 is removably attached to the iinsertible piece 3 by meansof the integral wings lil.

which are angularly disposed to thcpiece 9i;

are slipped" through 'the ine-lined place. It will be noticed that the shieldv9h is -curvedas shownn Fig. 2in 'planveww rio so that the rays of light that are emitted from the lamp 2 will be prevented from escaping past the edges 13 and engaging the silvered surface of the reflector 1 but are directed backward so as to strike the insertible member 3, where they are, in turn, reflected from the green surface of the member 3. The effect of' the insertion of this piece of 'celluloid or fiberoid of dark green is that the person approaching the headlight sees only the subdued green light while the rays that are thrown forward onto the ground are strong white rays of sufficient brightness to permit the driver to plainly see the roadway, and at the same time prevent the glare or dazzle of the headlight to the driver of an approaching machine in the opposite direction.

I do not limit myself to the use of celluloid or fiberoid as any suitable subst-ance may be used that will accomplish the purpose of the invention. The insertion of the opaque flexible material as herein shown and described causes, in practice. the diffused light near the forward end of the vehicle, whereby the outlines of the machine may be seen by a driver of an approaching machine, and also the headlight throws a beam of light forward similar to the concentrated rays of a searchlight. These rays engage the roadway a considerable distance ahead of the machine and are directed downward and not in a parallel direction, whereby the driver of an approaching machine only sees the subdued or diffused rays adjacent the machine and the driver of a machine is able to see the roadway ahead of him on account of' the condensed rays of light that are thrown forward in a downward direction.

It should he stated that the position .of the lamp in the reflector of course determines the direction of the reflector rays, that is to say whether they are projected in either an upward or downward direction. In the position of the lamp, as shown, the reflected rays from the insertible piece 3 will be upward, and the reflected rays from the upper inner surface from the reflector will be downward onto -the road bed.

What I claim is:

1. An attachment for headlights for the purpose'ofreducing the glare, and comprising an arc-shaped piece formed of elastic material of a translucent nature anddark color that is adapted to he inserted in the lower portion of the reflector of a headlight, the apex portion of the sector-shaped piece having an opening to receive the shank of the electric bulb and a slit communicating with the opening to permit the insertion of the member within the reflector of the headlight, and a shield secured to the sector shaped member for' cutting ofi*| the 'direct rays of light from the lamp, as described.

i2. A headlight dimmer, comprising an elastic member formed of material of a translucent nature and dark color and adapted to be easily bent and inserted into the reflector of a headlight, means for attaching the same to the lamp, anda curved shield connected to said member and eX- tending upward'and in front of the lamp when the dimmer is in place, whereby the direct rays of light are confined to the interior of' the reflector, as described.

3. A device for subduing the glare or dazzling effect of an automobile headlight, comprising an insertible and foldable member adapted to be placed in the lower portion of the reflector of the headlight, and a shield attached to the member for cutting off the direct rays of light from the lamp.

4. A device for subduing the glare or dazzling effect of an automobile headlight, comprising an insertible member adapted to be placed in the lower portion of the reflector of the headlight and provided with slits, and a shield for cutting off the direct rays of light from the lamp, said shield being provided with means 'for engaging the slits in the insertible member.

A member composed of an elastic material for insertion in the reflector-of an automobile. headlight, said member having an opening to receive the neck of the electric lamp, and slits or openings for securing the shield thereto` and a shield which is located in front off the lamp to cut off the direct rays from the lamp,vthe upper portion of said shield being rendered opaque and said shield being secured to said member by means of the slits.

(i. A device for reducing the glare or dazzling effect of an automobile headlight, comprising a sector shaped piece of. translucent material located in the lower portion of' the reflector, and bent to conform substantially to the lower surface of the reflector :from the front to the forward portion of the reflector, and means mounted on said device separable from the sector shaped piece for shielding the direct rays of light from the lamp of the headlight.

7. A sector-shaped piece for insertion within and adjacent the lower part of the reflector' of a headlight, means for attaching the salue to the neck of an electric lamp, and means secured to said piece having an opaque surface for cutting ofl" the direct rays from the lamp.

REGINALD J. MORTON. Witness:

HARRY W. BOWEN. 

